GIFT OF A BLUE BALL

About the Book

This is a historical fiction following the life of a yuta (fortune teller) in Okinawa from childhood to her death at age ninety. Kameko witnesses the horrors of war as a twelve year old in the Battle of Okinawa and survives into womanhood to locate the thief of the Royal Ryukyu headdress and reclaim the national treasure. By using her gift of sight and ability to communicate with the spiritual world, Kameko attempts to recover the crown, a promise that she makes her mother's spirit. The reader will discover the meaning behind the gift of the blue ball and the path of a yuta in Okinawa.

A story of people interacting with ghosts demonstrating how fate is influenced by both the physical and spiritual world. Although a fantasy, the novel consists of a good deal of research on Okinawan culture and belief systems, including ancestor worship. The result is both entertaining and informative for the reader, using accurate descriptions of historical events as the background for a ghostly and mysterious tale.

About the Author

J.P. Tuthill married an Okinawan woman and lived there for two years. While living on the tropical island, he fell in love with the culture, the mysteries, and superstition of Okinawa. He passionately wrote their mysterious and rich history in this book. He was born and raised in New York.